During the Imperial age, under men like Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Octavian, and Nero, as many as 135 days out of the year were dedicated to games: gladiator matches, chariot races, juggling competitions, elaborate mock naval battles, and beast hunts with exotic animals imported from far-flung provinces of the empire.2 These emperors found that as long as people weren’t hungry or bored, their freedom could be stolen. In the process, the emperors could turn themselves from kings into gods. The free food and endless entertainment acted as an anesthetic. They kept people amused while
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